White, 27, who won the halfpipe at the 2006 Turin Games and retained his title in Vancouver, had voiced concerns about the condition and difficulty of the slopestyle course during training runs earlier this week.

The potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympic goals on.

"After much deliberation with my team, I have made the decision to focus solely on trying to bring home the third straight gold medal in halfpipe for Team USA," White said in a statement on the website of the US Ski and Snowboard Association.

Shaun White pulls out of slopestyle in Sochi

"The difficult decision to forego slopestyle is not one I take lightly as I know how much effort everyone has put into holding the slopestyle event for the first time in Olympic history, a history I had planned on being part of."

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White - one of the biggest names at the Games - told reporters on Tuesday that the course was "intimidating", particularly as he had to go down it after Norwegian Torstein Horgmo fell and broke his collarbone.

White himself hurt his wrist, ankle and suffered a bruise under his eye in a fall on Tuesday, although he initially suggested it would not deter his double attempt.

"With the practice runs I have taken, even after course modifications and watching fellow athletes get hurt, the potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympics goals on," White said in a statement to NBC's Today show.

Changes were made to the course earlier this week after athletes made complaints.

Slopestyle is one of two new snowboard events at Sochi 2014. White has been slopestyle champion five times at the X Games.

But he has struggled with injuries and battled to qualify for the US team. He pulled out of the 2014 X Games to nurse his injuries and focus on training for both slopestyle and halfpipe ahead of the Olympics.

Canadian slopestyle medal contender Sebastien Toutant took to Twitter to goad White.

"Mr White ... it's easy to find excuses to pull out of a contest when you think you can't win," he tweeted.

Rival Maxence Parrot, also from Canada, tweeted: "Shaun knows he won't be able to win the slopes, that's why he pulled out. He's scared!"

"Shaun is the consummate professional and has made a sound athletic decision," said US Snowboarding & Free Skiing director Jeremy Forster in a statement.

"We anticipate an outstanding slopestyle debut on Saturday, but also respect the importance to Shaun to keep his focus on winning a third halfpipe gold."

AFP

30 comments

RIP Olympic spirit. As a Canadian, I am embarrassed that two of our Olympians would take to twitter to taunt a competitor. Pathetic and disgusting behaviour. It seems the Olympics are just another over hyped sporting event now.

Commenter

Aaron

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 4:23AM

Aaron, I agree with your sentiment but believe that you're a tad too harsh on your contrymen who suggested disdaim for White's decision. I agree with Forster that White did the right thing and it is the right of all others to have an opinion on the matter. In this age of instant mental puke it is hard for some not to let their opinion be kept within and they rush to let everyone know what they're thinking at some moment in time. As you are very aware (I'm sure), it isn't contained to the Canadians. Let's face it, you have nothing to be embarrassed about ... and Canada will do very well in these games.

Commenter

Bob

Location

Sydney

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 6:57AM

Bit ridiculous for them to taunt him as well when he has won far more than they have...

I hope he reverses his decision and crushes them.

Commenter

Nick

Location

Perth

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 10:03AM

I applaud you for following your intuition. You have probably just saved your spine. Safety standards must be met.

Commenter

thethar

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 4:25AM

Agree

Commenter

AB

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 8:03AM

Brave call. Personal safety before gold. Perhaps if Parrot and Toutant showed the same guts, and pulled out they might force more attention to safety issues by the organisers. Instead, they'll just keep twitting..

Commenter

The Dog

Location

Haberfield

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 4:27AM

They're happy to compete on the course. But somehow it would take guys to pretend that they're intimidated by it too? Have you also considered that maybe their perspective is closer to the truth then yours - White has been talking up the double gold but now he realises he's not competitive, he's pulling out to save face?

Commenter

Dags

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 6:02AM

Good call Shaun.

It is a strategically sound decicion if safety assessments reveal unacceptable risks.Whole armies have retreated in the face of looming battles to return another day to win.

Commenter

Mountain Man

Location

High Country

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 6:34AM

I wish Parrot and Touttant well and hope they don't get any serious injuries.

Commenter

Dr M

Date and time

February 06, 2014, 6:49AM

Sounds more like a reasoned decision than the act of a scared athlete. With 5 X Games titles he can clearly handle the technical difficulties. But with evidence that other elite athletes are being injured on the course, it seems reasonable to elect to avoid injury and focus on his other event.

There are no medals awarded for getting injured. There is also a difference between bravado and bravery.